"Act's vacant waffle on welfare is more whacked-out extremism from the crackpot party that wants education vouchers and a bigger jail population," says Labour's welfare spokesperson Steve Maharey.

"Richard Prebble's so-called policy consists of meaningless generalities and wild claims about welfare failure. There is not one specific proposal.

"Clearly Act's only ideas about welfare are destructive. It has no positive agenda and merely wants to slash at social security the way it would slash at health and education.

"Mr Prebble's ludicrous claim that a single mother would be better off under Act doesn't stack up with his party's earlier threat to abolish the domestic purposes benefit for women under 20. Is that still part of Act policy or is it now on the hidden agenda?

"What has happened to Act's plans to make unemployment beneficiaries work or train for up to 40 hours a week? Perhaps someone has got through to Mr Prebble that providing jobs and training costs money and can't be done by a party that wants to slash Government spending to the bone.

"The truth is that Act believes the poor and unemployed should be left to forage in the rubbish bins of Mr Prebble's wealthy supporters. It has no concern whatsoever for the welfare, health and education of anyone who can't pay through the nose."

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